Conveniently Misplacing Blame
by ticclemeemo
Summary: Draco has a strange mental breakdown in Potion's class and lands right into the arms of the Gryffindor Golden Boy. But Draco is moodswinging like it's going out of style and will find that he can't always stand on the fine line between love and hate but w
1. Chapter One

Draco drifted pointlessly through the days lately. Disowned by his father and being beaten to an emotional pulp due to his refusal to take the Dark Mark had really taken a toll on him. Yes, the mudblood-hating bastard finally grew a spine and stood up to his father, obviously too late in the game. Of course, this only made Voldemort want Draco on his side more. He admired a man [or boy in this case] who could stand up to him. That proves that there is hope that all wizards are not mindless drones hiding behind their words.  
  
But Draco wasn't concerned with any of this at the moment. The reason for his refusal had just walked into Potions. Malfoy [because Draco would never hurt Harry] opened his mouth to make a snide remark about Harry's tasteless clothing. choice, but stopped when he saw the look on Harry's face. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached up and put a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy. I know you're just fishing for other things about me that you haven't yet picked apart."  
  
At that point, Snape entered the room and everyone fell silent, but everything Harry didn't get to say was reflected in his eyes.  
  
The class ran rather smoothly, until Draco noticed Harry's breath hitching a bit, and realized he was crying. The famous Harry Potter, crying. It was at this point that Draco dropped an entire vial of God-knows-what right into his potion, thusly causing it to bubble and boil in a matter of seconds. It began to fizz and sputter all over his potion's partner, Pansy Parkinson. Draco would have died in a fit of laughter, if Harry wasn't still crying, and if Snape wasn't so angry that he was actually giving him detention. Three nights of it.  
  
Malfoy glared at Harry.  
  
This is all Potter's fault.  
  
~*  
  
Harry seemed to have calmed down, and felt he needed to finish what Malfoy had started in the beginning of class. Draco was scrubbing the potion- sludge off the floor, as instructed by Snape to clean it without magic.  
  
"That was real graceful of you, Malfoy."  
  
Ron laughed and spat a remark of his own.  
  
"Hey, Hermione! Come knit a hat for this poor house-elf!"  
  
Draco flushed red and pulled Ron down by his ankles. Harry, always aware of his surroundings, grabbed Ron and stepped his falling.  
  
"Don't even, Malfoy. This is between you and me."  
  
"Alright then." And with that, grabbed Harry's ankle and yanked. Harry landed hard on his elbows, but quickly recovered and pulled Malfoy's head back by his hair. Malfoy whirled around and came face to face with Harry. At that moment, Malfoy melted away, and became Draco again. Harry drew his fist to strike him, but stopped when he realized Draco wasn't going to do anything to stop him.  
  
"This isn't any fun if you don't fight back."  
  
Draco's eyes emptied and he seemed far away. His mind drifted back to the summer, and he once again saw his father's face...  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
Draco's body quaked violently, and his screams were no where near describing the pain he was suffering.  
  
"Why don't you make it interesting and fight back?"  
  
A frantic shaking of his body snapped him out of his flashback and forcefully into reality. He saw a flash of worried green eyes beofre he closed his own and broke into a shaking fit of tears. Harry acted on his first instinct and held the smaller boy close and whispered tiny comforts into his ears until he calmed down.  
  
"Potter, why are you helping me?"  
  
"Because Snape will kill you if he saw you crying on the floor."  
  
"He'll kill us both if he finds us holding each other on the floor, too."  
  
"Good point." Harry stood up, then helped the other boy up.  
  
Kind of stunned by the whole situation said,"Well, McGonagall's going to kill us too, if we don't get to Transfiguration soon."  
  
"You go. I'll catch up."  
  
"Whatever,"said Ron, and hurriedly went off to Transfiguration.  
  
Harry made a weak smile at Draco. "I'll walk you to your dorm. You don't have another class today, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
They walked in silence most of the way.  
  
"Um, Po-Harry. I j-just wanted to say, well, t-thanks for what you did." Overwhelming emotion that seemed to swell behind Draco's eyes was obviously clouding the judgement of his actions and pulled Harry into a hug. And Harry didn't pull away. He looked down and noticed Draco blushing madly. Draco let go suddenly. "I'm sorry, you're going to be late."  
  
"S'alright. I don't think I'm gonna go to class."  
  
"You sure? Weasley might have a heart attack."  
  
Harry actually laughed. "Yes, I'm sure."  
  
Draco blushed again, but only slightly this time. "If you're not going to class, would you like to come in with me?"  
  
Harry smiled. "Even if it is treason, I suppose I'll take you up on the offer. Considering today's recent events, my hypothesis was wrong, and you actually are human. So I suppose you can't be that bad."  
  
They stepped through the Slytherin portrait hole, and ignoring the startled gasps from the other house members, they walked to the boy's dormitories.  
  
"You enjoyed that, didn't you, Potter? All that beautiful attention. Sickening, Potter. Really fucking sickening."  
  
He noticed the surprise that took over Harry's face, which was quickly replaced with anger. Harry reached for his wand.  
  
"Whoa! Whoa, Potter, breathe. I'm just kidding."  
  
"Are you always pretending like that?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You're a very good actor. Unless you really hate. But I doubt I would be here if that were true."  
  
"I don't hate you, you're just so cute when you're mad."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Kidding again, Potter. I never realized how terribly gullible you are."  
  
The both stood there silent for a few minutes.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"What exactly happened before?"  
  
"You'd best sit down for this. It's kind of a long story."  
  
They both moved towards Draco's bed and sat down.  
  
"It was last summer, and well, obviously, you know my father is a Death Eater. And obviously, he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. Last July was supposed to be the month he recommended me to Voldemort, and for me to take the intiation tests and receive the Dark Mark. But I refused. My father was furious. He attacked me daily with Unforgivable Curses, before finally d-disowning me."  
  
Draco's voice threatened tears again, and leaned against Harry, who took the hint, and took him in his arms again.  
  
"Then today, when you told me that punching me isn't fun if I don't fight back, I had a flashback. My father was attacking me, and afterwards he said,'Why don't you make it interesting and fight back?' And I suppose the similiarities and all caused me to lose it."  
  
Tears ran down Draco's face, but it was controlled now, unlike the shoulder- heaving sobs of earlier today.  
  
"Um, I know this probably sounds really insensitive to ask right onw, but why did you refuse the Dark Mark?"  
  
"Because Voldemort is an insane, irrational monster. There's no satisfying him. It's just not worth all the pain. And besides, you keep screwing him over every year. If you can fight him off constantly, you'd have no problem doing me in."  
  
"Yes I would."  
  
Draco looked confused. "Why?"  
  
"I know you. Even if you are an insufferable git, I couldn't kill you. Sure you're insults can be annoying, but not enought to kill you. You don't deserve it."  
  
Harry notice Draco was shaking, and realized he was sobbing again.  
  
"Draco! Draco! I'm sorry, good god, what did I do?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just good to get this all out, and I suppose the tears just come with it all. This is the first time I've talked to anyone about it."  
  
They both sat in silence, rocking gently back and forth, until finally, Draco fell asleep. Harry laid him down on his bed, gave his hand one more comforting squeeze, and strode out into the common room. Once again ignoring the glares, he headed towards the portrait hole.  
  
"Not so fast, Potter."  
  
Harry looked up and came fact to face [more or less] with Snape.  
  
"Detention, tonight, for cutting class. Come to the Potion's room at seven."  
  
Harry glared, but nodded.  
  
~*  
  
Harry noticed all the eyes of the Slytherin's on him as he walked into the Great Hall for dinner. He also noticed Ron and Hermione's, but their eyes, unlike those of the Slytherin's, were filled with worry and concern. Harry flashed them a smile and strolled over to the table.  
  
"Harry, where were you? McGonagall gave me the third degree and I had nothing to tell her!"  
  
"S'alright. Doesn't matter anyways. Snape already caught me cutting class and gave me detention."  
  
"How did Snape catch you in Gryffindor Tower?"  
  
Harry flushed. "I wasn't exactly in Gryffindor Tower."  
  
"Well, where were you?"  
  
"Um, Slytherin..."  
  
"SLYTHERIN?! What the bloody hell you doing over there?!"  
  
I walked Dra-Malfoy to his dorm and he invited me in since I wasn't planning on showing up for McGonagall's class without an excuse. We just sat around and talked a bit, then Malfoy fell asleep, so I just left. That's when I ran into Snape."  
  
"Alright. Seems strange, but not really harmful, so I suppose it's alright. Leave it to Malfoy to fall asleep during a guest's visit though. Ha."  
  
~*  
  
Ron, Hermione, and Harry headed towards the Quidditch pitch. Today's game was Slytherin vs. Gryffindor.  
  
"Well, look what the cat dragged in. Oh wait, that's not a cat, just a weasel."  
  
Harry put his arm to keep Ron from pouncing on Malfoy. Harry walked--more like strutted--to him.  
  
"Good luck today, Draco," Harry drawled in an obviously mocking manner, and finished off his show with a swift, sporty slap to Malfoy's rear. Malfoy recovered quickly, unlike Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Oh, no, Harry, good luck to you. After all, you'll need it more than I will."  
  
"Git."  
  
"Prat."  
  
After a few moment of silence, and quite surprising to Ron and Hermione, both the quarreling boys burst into fits of laughter. Hermione had never seen anything so strange as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy fallon each other, breathless from laughter.  
  
"See you in the air, Malfoy,"called Harry as he took off toward the Gryffindor broomshed.  
  
~*  
  
There it was. Glittering spectacularly inthe sunlight, zooming at a tremendous speed. Taunting him with the impossible idea of catching it.  
  
The Snitch.  
  
Harry dived. Malfoy saw this, and followed him, racing him for the little gold piece of glory. Harry's fingers stretched forward, brushing the wings of his goal. He reached further, pushed harder and closed his fingers around on wing of the Snitch. He had it!  
  
Unfortunately, all his focus was on the Snitch and not his flying. Harry's broom tipped a bleacher stand, causing him to spiral into Malfoy, sending them both hurdling towards the ground.  
  
"Malfoy! Get off me!"  
  
Malfoy looked down and realized he had landed, basically straddling Harry.  
  
"Hm, no, Potter, I think I like you better beneath me. After all, I am above you."  
  
Harry sat up, so Malfoy was up on Harry's hips, legs spread.  
  
"Get. Off. Me. NOW."  
  
Malfoy just smirked. Harry's face turned red, but this time from anger. He pulled his wand out and began to hex Malfoy. The blonde boy panicked and did the first thing that came to mind.  
  
He fucking kissed him. 


	2. Chapter Two

"Malfoy. You just kissed me."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Stop you from hexing me."  
  
"You could have punched me!"  
  
"But you wouldn't have enjoyed that."  
  
Harry sputtered. "I didn't enjoy that either!"  
  
Malfoy laughed. "You're a terrible liar, Potter. Besides, you don't need  
to tell me your opinion, it's already poking me in the bum."  
  
Harry blushed but luckily for him was saved by Madame Pompfrey, who was  
rushing him and Malfoy off the Pitch, and down to the infirmary.  
  
~*  
  
"Well, boys, I can't find anything physically wrong with you, besides  
some minor bruising. But I'd still like to keep you both overnight just  
incase any internal injuries appear."  
  
Both Harry and Draco were lead to their beds.  
  
"Madame Pompfrey, I had detention tonight with Snape. In fact, I should  
be there now."  
  
"Oh, me too," added Draco.  
  
"I'll make sure to inform him that he will have to reschedule. You two  
both need to rest." And with that, she hurried off to do so. After she  
was gone, Malfoy turned to Harry. "Well, Potter, at least something good  
came out of this. No potion's detention tonight. And thank Merlin, I'm  
dead tired. G'night, I suppose," he said as he slipped into his bed.  
  
"Whatever," Harry replied, crawling into his own bed.  
  
~*  
  
It was 3am, and Harry was still awake. Why? He couldn't say. Was Malfoy  
snoring? No, of course not. He's a fucking Malfoy. Was his body aching?  
No. Pompfrey healed all his wounds. Then what was it?  
  
The kiss, of course. The kiss and it's affects on his traitorous body.  
  
A whimper from a couple feet away dragged Harry's mind from his current  
thoughts. Malfoy was obviously having a nightmare. Harry got up, put on  
his glasses, and walked over to Draco's bed. He was sprawled on his back,  
one leg arched up, hair stickig to his sweaty face, and a fearful, yet  
defiant, look twisted on is face.  
  
"Father, I can't...I won't...NO! I won't! I won't! I won't!"  
  
Draco was screaming by now. Harry reached down and squeezed his hand.  
Leaning down, he whispered in his ear,"God, it's alright, Draco. It's  
over.."  
  
"Over?" Still asleep.  
  
"Yes. All over."  
  
"I don't want to do it again. Don't leave me alone.."  
  
"I won't."  
  
Harry spent the rest of the night in a chair, pulled up to Draco's  
bedside, his head rested on the mattress, holding tightly onto his hand.  
Letting him know he was still there. Morning came, and Harry realized  
that he was still curled up in the chair by Draco's bed.  
  
"Potter, why are you holding my hand?"  
  
"You had a nightmare last night. You stopped screaming when I held your  
hand, so I figured I'd better not let go, for fear you would start up  
again."  
  
"...oh..well, thank you. It was very..Gryffindor of you."  
  
Just then Madame Pompfrey strode in the room. Both boys blushed madly and  
immediately let go of each other's hands.  
  
"Well, it's good to see you two up so early. You're both free to go now."  
  
They both left the room and took off in opposite directions, not even  
othering to sy goodbye.  
  
~*  
  
"He's still staring at you, Harry."  
  
"I know, Ron. I see him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do I look like Professor Trelawney? I have no idea. Ask your tea leaves  
or something."  
  
But Harry noticed that Malfoy wasn't glaring at him, or even smirking. In  
fact, he almost looked sad. When he noticed Harry and that fucking Weasel  
staring back and whispering to one another, he quickly looked down and  
busied himself with rearranging his food on his plate.  
  
~*  
  
2:45am. 2:45 fucking am, and Harry was staring at the ceiling. He slipped  
out of bed and pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. Once fully-shrouded by  
it he headed up to the Astronomy Tower.  
  
He never fully got used to being invisible. It was positively eerie to  
walk through those hallways, hearing his own footsteps echo in the  
emptiness, but not being able to see the feet that made them.  
  
He stepped into the Astronomy Tower. He wasn't alone. Sitting on the  
window sill, hair ruffled, wearing crumpled silk pyjamas, was Draco  
Malfoy.  
  
"Can't sleep?"  
  
Malfoy looked startled and jumped to his feet.  
  
"Who said that?"  
  
"Oh, sorry," said Harry, lifting off his Invisibility Cloak. "Forgot  
about that."  
  
"Merlin, Potter, you scared the shit out of me."  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."  
  
"What are you doing up here this late anyways?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing...I couldn't sleep. I've had terrible  
insomnia since, well, I suppose you know. Cedric.." Harry sighed deeply.  
"So why're you here?"  
  
Malfoy sat back on the window sill, and looked out over the school  
grounds. "More nightmares."  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Potter, why do you care? You've spent the last five years making my life  
living hell, and now you're suddenly concerned about my well-being? Ohhh,  
but you HAVE to care! You're a goddamned Gryffindor! Fucking Saint  
Potter! Oh, but a flaw. You're the reason I have nightmares. Oh, and  
you're the reason I can't concentrate in Potions. You're the reason my  
father disowned me. It's. All. Your. Fault!"  
  
Malfoy slammed Harry against the wall, holding him down by his wrists.  
For a moment, Harry thought he was going to hit him, but all thoughts of  
that were extingushed when Malfoy practically leapt upon him, kissing him  
violently. Harry struggled desperately, before finally succumbing to  
Malfoy. He tasted blood, as Malfoy's teeth scraped his inner lips. He  
backed up, breaking the kiss, and panting heavily. After a moment to  
catch his breath, he pressed his body up against Harry's and began  
nipping at his neck and earlobes. "God, Potter, I fucking hate you." All  
Harry could do was moan. His hips bucked involuntarily against Malfoy's.  
Suddenly, Harry remembered where and who he was, and what was happening.  
He immediately shoved Malfoy back. He just glared at him, and wiped the  
blood from his mouth.  
  
"Problem, Potter?"  
  
"Yes, there's a problem!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?! This is obviously wrong. Firstly, well, we're both boys.  
Secondly, you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor. Finally, you're Draco  
Malfoy! And I'm Harry Potter! The pieces of the puzzle just don't fit  
together! We hate each other. You just said so yourself."  
  
Harry grabbed for his cloak, slipped it on, and headed towards the door.  
  
"Harry, wait!"  
  
Harry froze at the sound of his given name, removed his head, and just  
stared at Malfoy.  
  
"Why are you doing that, Potter? It's creepy. Either take that cloak off  
or cover yourself completely. Your floating head is really giving me the  
chills."  
  
"Sorry," he said, and pulled off the cloak,"I was just a bit stunned by  
you calling me Harry. You've never done that before..but anyways. Why  
can't I leave?"  
  
"I-I just w-wanted to say.."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I don't hate you."  
  
Harry snorted. "Could have fooled me."  
  
"I guess I was bit jealous-"  
  
"Of me? Ha! If you'd like, I'm sure I could kill your parents, and in  
fact, I'll do it in front of you, so you'll get the whole Cedric Diggory  
experience in there too!"  
  
"If you'd have let me finish, Potter, you'd hear that I am not jealous of  
you. I'm jealous of that fucking Weasel and the Mudblood."  
  
"Ron and Hermione?"  
  
"Are you not fucking listening? Yes, Ron and Hermione."  
  
"But..why?"  
  
"Why not? Sure, Weasley doesn't have much money, but he has parent's who  
care. They love him. He has siblings. He has a childhood! Friends,  
Potter! Friends. And Hermione too. And they both have you. I tried to  
befriend you, but you shunned me like some fucking wizarding Robin Hood.  
Taking from the rich and giving to the poor."  
  
"Draco.."  
  
"Don't call me that like you care, Potter." Then he shoved past Harry,  
and headed towards Slytherin Tower. Harry raced after him. He caught up  
easily, as Malfoy was 'stalking' away, because obviously, Malfoys do NOT  
run away.  
  
Harry grabbed Malfoy's wrist, spun him around and pinned him to the wall  
with his body.  
  
"And what makes you think I don't care?"  
  
"Oh come off it, St.Potter! Why should you?"  
  
"Because we seem to have some things in common, things I never knew. I  
have no parents, you have worse than no parents. We were both never  
allowed to be a child. Always performing for everyone else. Hiding behind  
what we're 'supposed to be', and not who we are."  
  
There was something in Draco's eyes at that moment. A mixture of sadness,  
fear, and vulnerablility. Whatever it was, Harry decided it was damn  
sexy.  
  
Without warning, Harry kissed him. It was much different from the earlier  
kiss. Instead of violent and angry, Draco was much more submissive,  
melting into Harry. Harry parted Draco's lips with his tongue, and he was  
quickly granted access. The Boy Who Lived discovered that all he wanted  
right then was to know everything about the boy squirming underneath him.  
Anything and everything; all his cracks and crevasses. What else did he  
and Draco have in common? What else did he hide under his disguise? Draco  
broke the kiss, panting.  
  
"Harry, you do realize his could never be or work or happen again?"  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Everyone but you, probably. Your friends would never accept it. My so-  
called friends wouldn't either. My father, oh lord, he would kill me,  
then you!"  
  
"What does he care? As far as he's concerned, you're not even his son  
anymore."  
  
Draco's eyes emptied again and he gained that farawawy look. His knees  
buckled and Harry was the only thing supporting him now.  
  
"Draco, oh god, I'm so sorry. What was I thinking? You're right, Draco.  
This can't happen. I'll only hurt you like I've done everyone else."  
  
He pushed his cloak on and took off down the hal towards Gryffindor  
Tower. 


End file.
